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Dan Shepherd #9
False Friends
The most wanted man in the world is dead.
Now those loyal to him seek revenge.
When Navy Seals track down and kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, it's obvious there was a traitor on the inside. After the false friends are revealed to be two British students, Malik and Chaudhry - former Islamic fundamentalists recruited by MI5 - they become targets themselves.
Dan 'Spider' Shepherd must teach the pair how to survive undercover with al-Qaeda closing in. But Spider is not used to playing the handler. And with the line between mentor and friend beginning to blur, and a terrorist plot putting thousands of lives at stake, can he protect everyone before it's too late?
Now those loyal to him seek revenge.
When Navy Seals track down and kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, it's obvious there was a traitor on the inside. After the false friends are revealed to be two British students, Malik and Chaudhry - former Islamic fundamentalists recruited by MI5 - they become targets themselves.
Dan 'Spider' Shepherd must teach the pair how to survive undercover with al-Qaeda closing in. But Spider is not used to playing the handler. And with the line between mentor and friend beginning to blur, and a terrorist plot putting thousands of lives at stake, can he protect everyone before it's too late?
453 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2012
About the author
Stephen Leather
211 books1,567 followersStephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
November 5, 2023
My seventh Stephen Leather book and my second with Spider Shepherd in. Spider has a conscience and a moral compass even whilst double tapping terrorists.
In this story he babysits two young Muslim English lads who gave away Bin Ladens location. The book starts with Bin Laden being shot. It ends with a terrorist attacking on the Westfield shopping centre. Was only there a few months ago and will be more diligent on next visit for sure.
Fast pace, great dialogue and banter with good humour thrown in. Love the Spider character👍
In this story he babysits two young Muslim English lads who gave away Bin Ladens location. The book starts with Bin Laden being shot. It ends with a terrorist attacking on the Westfield shopping centre. Was only there a few months ago and will be more diligent on next visit for sure.
Fast pace, great dialogue and banter with good humour thrown in. Love the Spider character👍
July 30, 2012
Stephen Leather is fairly unusual in this genre, he has allowed his character “Spider” Shepherd to develop and evolve through the series and balanced the action with realistic and satisfying characterisation. The books also reflect a changing society, environment and culture so the books feel up to date and fresh.
In False Friends, Spider is babysitting two Pakistani informers who not only helped identify the location of Bin Laden but also are being primed for the next big UK terrorist ‘spectacular’. At the same time he is doing a favour for his friends back in the Met, playing an arms dealer but with some bad guys with a very topical link.
All the Spider Shepherd books are a pleasure and this one is no different. The author knows how to pull together plot lines and how to engage the reader in an environment that is either exciting or very familiar. I liked the Pakistani informers especially, they were given real depth and character. Their attitudes, motives and passions felt real and utterly believable. Devout, from good families but with a view that terrorism is wrong balanced with the attitudes and language of young men of their age. And a sense of being British but also devout Muslims which was a refreshing change.
There are a few themes running through this topical thriller, hidden agendas, trust and that of living a lie. Even Shepherd’s boss, Charlie Button has evolved as a character and now reflects a more hard-nosed approach and you sense that she and Shepherd do not quite have the relationship they once had, and Shepherd’s viewpoint that is very much black and white is not shared by others around him who play in the grey areas.
So, again we have an intelligent, topical thriller populated with ‘real’ people and characters. I think it is a brilliant series and this fits in perfectly.
In False Friends, Spider is babysitting two Pakistani informers who not only helped identify the location of Bin Laden but also are being primed for the next big UK terrorist ‘spectacular’. At the same time he is doing a favour for his friends back in the Met, playing an arms dealer but with some bad guys with a very topical link.
All the Spider Shepherd books are a pleasure and this one is no different. The author knows how to pull together plot lines and how to engage the reader in an environment that is either exciting or very familiar. I liked the Pakistani informers especially, they were given real depth and character. Their attitudes, motives and passions felt real and utterly believable. Devout, from good families but with a view that terrorism is wrong balanced with the attitudes and language of young men of their age. And a sense of being British but also devout Muslims which was a refreshing change.
There are a few themes running through this topical thriller, hidden agendas, trust and that of living a lie. Even Shepherd’s boss, Charlie Button has evolved as a character and now reflects a more hard-nosed approach and you sense that she and Shepherd do not quite have the relationship they once had, and Shepherd’s viewpoint that is very much black and white is not shared by others around him who play in the grey areas.
So, again we have an intelligent, topical thriller populated with ‘real’ people and characters. I think it is a brilliant series and this fits in perfectly.
June 23, 2018
in this book spider is working as a handler for two Muslim lads that have given information that leads to the death of Bin Laden at the same time they also are being primed for the next big UK terrorist event.
he meets up with old friends Sam Hargrove and 'Razor' Sharpe
its good read its got a great pace and great story line
whats not to like??
he meets up with old friends Sam Hargrove and 'Razor' Sharpe
its good read its got a great pace and great story line
whats not to like??
January 3, 2021
“False Friends” by Stephen Leather (2012) First Edition
Overall Rating 9/10 – Terroristically Good
So, you want to read a fast paced, United Kingdom M15, Action-paced terrorism novel? You just found the right book to read.
Al-Qaeda have just lost their leader (Bin Laden) to an American sortie BUT they had UK help from two M15 wannabes – and now Al-Qaeda are on the war path. Add to that, a terrorist cell operating in London (where the two M15 wannabes are currently infiltrating) and you would have a great read. But wait, there’s more! (Got that straight from a Satellite shopping channel) A far-right group are looking to secure a significant arsenal of weapons …… all of this would be a handful for any skilled operative …. Cue our protagonist, Dan “Spider” Shepherd.
The author is on top form in this outing for our undercover man, bringing much more to the story with credible additions to our (now loved) M15 Operations. Depth of character has always been a strong point for Leather and, in this, we are sprayed with yummy stuff. A blistering performance in terms of keeping you hooked and keeping the pages turning – I even found myself reading much faster as the pace of the plot accelerated.
I’ll be starting the next one immediately, it was THAT good
Overall Rating 9/10 – Terroristically Good
So, you want to read a fast paced, United Kingdom M15, Action-paced terrorism novel? You just found the right book to read.
Al-Qaeda have just lost their leader (Bin Laden) to an American sortie BUT they had UK help from two M15 wannabes – and now Al-Qaeda are on the war path. Add to that, a terrorist cell operating in London (where the two M15 wannabes are currently infiltrating) and you would have a great read. But wait, there’s more! (Got that straight from a Satellite shopping channel) A far-right group are looking to secure a significant arsenal of weapons …… all of this would be a handful for any skilled operative …. Cue our protagonist, Dan “Spider” Shepherd.
The author is on top form in this outing for our undercover man, bringing much more to the story with credible additions to our (now loved) M15 Operations. Depth of character has always been a strong point for Leather and, in this, we are sprayed with yummy stuff. A blistering performance in terms of keeping you hooked and keeping the pages turning – I even found myself reading much faster as the pace of the plot accelerated.
I’ll be starting the next one immediately, it was THAT good
October 24, 2013
Throughout this book, I was all set to give this a three-star rating, but the last 20% really brought this up to the level of some of my fave Leather books. Most of the book is very dialogue orientated and lacks serious action and excitement, but the end culminates in spectacular style. We're still on the 'par for the course' Dan vs Pakistani terrorists plot, which for me is personally getting a bit old, but I liked the angle Stephen used for this one.
There was a nice curve ball with Choudrey's 'tail' part which created a little more action. I was a bit disappointed that the sub-plot involving the arms deal fizzled out on the boat scene and nothing seemed to come from it, and the attack they were attempting got left in the bylines, but on the whole, the story was well developed and flowed seamlessly, if somewhat slow throughout. I'm always happy to have a story with Jimmy 'Razor' Sharp(e) in it!
There was a nice curve ball with Choudrey's 'tail' part which created a little more action. I was a bit disappointed that the sub-plot involving the arms deal fizzled out on the boat scene and nothing seemed to come from it, and the attack they were attempting got left in the bylines, but on the whole, the story was well developed and flowed seamlessly, if somewhat slow throughout. I'm always happy to have a story with Jimmy 'Razor' Sharp(e) in it!
January 6, 2023
I’m struggling a little. When i first started reading Spider Shepherd books and he was an undercover cop in a prison, I was absolutely blown away, loved it. I have enjoyed all the books since and there has always been an element of terrorism but this one has gone further down that route and not what I have set out to read. That said, the way it all came to a climax is in true Shepherd style and I have mostly enjoyed this book
August 3, 2012
I always enjoy 'Spider' Shepherd novels - and this one certainly didn't change that tradition. However, the last book in this series, Fair Game got an easy 5 stars from me, and is one of my favourite books ever published. That happens rarely for a book released so late in a series. This book was more of a three and a half stars, maybe a four stars. 3 & 3/4 we can say.
False Friends was interesting, with a story that was well constructed There was humour and some amazing one liners.
I also appreciated that there were two devout Muslim characters that were the heroes of the novel - they were written as British citizens first and Muslims second - which is refreshing to see. This outlook doesn't seem to be as rare amongst UK & Australian authors as it is amongst many of the US.
The reasons why I didn't enjoy this novel as much as some of the previous works are mainly personal. There was a storyline that was thrown into the fray but wasn't tidied up - I understand that in the real world, you don't always get all the answers, but my head is trying to tie together the main plot and the one subplot in my head, and they just don't fit very well. I felt like the subplot was thrown in just to add more action - which doesn't anger me - but it seemed superfluous.
One other personal reason that I didn't love this novel - there was very little of the usual 'balancing act' that normally appears in these novels. Dan Shepherd has cut off most of his ties to his social/family life, and there is very few appearances of things of a personal nature for Dan, and even professionally there were few interactions that gave an insight into Shepherd's thinking. Especially as he was handling a different role to usual - the handler, there was a little of an adjustment, but it could have been played for more intrigue. A personal gripe - and something that I am sure many people will appreciate. I think a lot of readers find the additional 'filler' of his child and emotional relationships to be boring or unnecessary.
I should mention that I did read this in one day - and it meant that I lacked quite a bit of sleep because I wanted to stay up and see what happened next. It was enjoyable, and a valid addition to the rest of the Spider Shepherd series, however, it certainly isn't one of the best of his works.
False Friends was interesting, with a story that was well constructed There was humour and some amazing one liners.
I also appreciated that there were two devout Muslim characters that were the heroes of the novel - they were written as British citizens first and Muslims second - which is refreshing to see. This outlook doesn't seem to be as rare amongst UK & Australian authors as it is amongst many of the US.
The reasons why I didn't enjoy this novel as much as some of the previous works are mainly personal. There was a storyline that was thrown into the fray but wasn't tidied up - I understand that in the real world, you don't always get all the answers, but my head is trying to tie together the main plot and the one subplot in my head, and they just don't fit very well. I felt like the subplot was thrown in just to add more action - which doesn't anger me - but it seemed superfluous.
One other personal reason that I didn't love this novel - there was very little of the usual 'balancing act' that normally appears in these novels. Dan Shepherd has cut off most of his ties to his social/family life, and there is very few appearances of things of a personal nature for Dan, and even professionally there were few interactions that gave an insight into Shepherd's thinking. Especially as he was handling a different role to usual - the handler, there was a little of an adjustment, but it could have been played for more intrigue. A personal gripe - and something that I am sure many people will appreciate. I think a lot of readers find the additional 'filler' of his child and emotional relationships to be boring or unnecessary.
I should mention that I did read this in one day - and it meant that I lacked quite a bit of sleep because I wanted to stay up and see what happened next. It was enjoyable, and a valid addition to the rest of the Spider Shepherd series, however, it certainly isn't one of the best of his works.
February 16, 2019
My 9th Spider book, almost back to back, and still going strong in terms of keeping my interest captured to the protagonist! Author Stephen Leather has created a very intruguing character in Dan "Spider" Shepherd and with each story, Spider's character seems to get incremental richness which makes him more likeable and loveable. THat's why reading the 9th book almost straight up doesn't feel stale. He started at SOCA, then moved into MI5 and still going strong with his ex and current handlers and colleagues. Stories seem relevant and current with each book. His personal life still is quite non-existant except for his son and the au pair. Friends who seemed to have died have come back to support him. So all in all, he is in a sweet spot. And I like reading that. Too many books with the protagonist saving the world from the brink of extinction, for a change a normal hero doing normal job feels good to read.
The 9th book is starts like a "must-read fix". Spider joils the Seals team in the mission to capture Bin Laden in Abbotabad. Only that it was not capture mission, it was a shoot at sight mission which was kept secret from Spider by the Seals team. The British MI5 had provided the intelligence on Bin Laden's whereabouts to the Americans, so aa a coutesy, 1 British crew member was allowed in the mission to Abbotabad. But Spider was pretty much ignored by the Seals all the time despite proving useful when one of the helis crashes and Spider saves the mission by some quick alternate thinking. But some pretty stupid mistake on the Yanks front (isn't it always true!! HAHA!) leads the al-qaeda to believe that The Sheik's location was betrayed to the Americans by one of their own. hence the hunt begins to track the mole and neutralise them, funded as usual by a Saudi oil-rich billionare.
But the moles were 2 young british pakistani muslim college students, who were working for MI5 undercover and their handler was Spider, a new role for Dan! The story of these two young muslims is very well refined and handled by the author and makes a sweet and tantalizing read. The 2 undercover agents also help in the end foil a big terror plot in the heart of London with Spider's help.
Another sub-plot was Spider's ex-Boss Sam Hargraves requesting for Spider's help from MI5 for a arms dealer case that smelt of white supremists terrorist attack planned towards London. Spider manages to finally neutralise the threat, but not before taking a bullet (saved by his Kevlar jacket). There seems to be a sweet resource poaching try by Sam Hargraves who is now the CO of a new squad in the Met dept and was trying to fish for Spider, his old recruit during the SOCA days, in his squad. But Button played the game too nicely and makes it clear that Spider is MI5 and she would go to all lengths to keep him with her!
Good book, should be a 4.5/5 for me, very close to a slam dunk 5/5. I would have wanted a few more pages on what happens with Sam and Spider after Spider finishes that assignment, no dialogue was mentioned and it's now upto my imagination to play that track any way I want! That said, maybe next book would have some info, hence I am now racing to pick the next book up!
The 9th book is starts like a "must-read fix". Spider joils the Seals team in the mission to capture Bin Laden in Abbotabad. Only that it was not capture mission, it was a shoot at sight mission which was kept secret from Spider by the Seals team. The British MI5 had provided the intelligence on Bin Laden's whereabouts to the Americans, so aa a coutesy, 1 British crew member was allowed in the mission to Abbotabad. But Spider was pretty much ignored by the Seals all the time despite proving useful when one of the helis crashes and Spider saves the mission by some quick alternate thinking. But some pretty stupid mistake on the Yanks front (isn't it always true!! HAHA!) leads the al-qaeda to believe that The Sheik's location was betrayed to the Americans by one of their own. hence the hunt begins to track the mole and neutralise them, funded as usual by a Saudi oil-rich billionare.
But the moles were 2 young british pakistani muslim college students, who were working for MI5 undercover and their handler was Spider, a new role for Dan! The story of these two young muslims is very well refined and handled by the author and makes a sweet and tantalizing read. The 2 undercover agents also help in the end foil a big terror plot in the heart of London with Spider's help.
Another sub-plot was Spider's ex-Boss Sam Hargraves requesting for Spider's help from MI5 for a arms dealer case that smelt of white supremists terrorist attack planned towards London. Spider manages to finally neutralise the threat, but not before taking a bullet (saved by his Kevlar jacket). There seems to be a sweet resource poaching try by Sam Hargraves who is now the CO of a new squad in the Met dept and was trying to fish for Spider, his old recruit during the SOCA days, in his squad. But Button played the game too nicely and makes it clear that Spider is MI5 and she would go to all lengths to keep him with her!
Good book, should be a 4.5/5 for me, very close to a slam dunk 5/5. I would have wanted a few more pages on what happens with Sam and Spider after Spider finishes that assignment, no dialogue was mentioned and it's now upto my imagination to play that track any way I want! That said, maybe next book would have some info, hence I am now racing to pick the next book up!
March 13, 2017
Book number 9 in the Dan 'Spider' Shepherd series. Despite a slower than usual start this book soon picked up the pace. Once again the book doesn't follow a single plot line, so that there is always something happening somewhere. It was good to see a couple of old characters re-appearing, with Sam Hargrove and 'Razor' Sharpe having larger roles than previously. A couple of the plots did seem rushed, and rather fizzled out towards the climax. However, I have found this series to be highly enjoyable, it seems to move with the times and the main character has a natural progression.
So far I haven't found any sense that this series is getting stale, and after 9 books that is no mean achievement.
So far I haven't found any sense that this series is getting stale, and after 9 books that is no mean achievement.
March 8, 2022
Bit of a slow start and lots of characters to get your head around, but improved.
August 7, 2012
False Friends is the ninth in this series of books about Dan 'Spider' Shepherd. He has worked for the SAS, SOCA, the Met and is now with MI5.
This story has two main story lines. Spider has to don the persona of an arms dealer while at the same time maintaining the role of John Whitehill whose task is keeping two young lads, Chaudry and Mallik, safe after they were instrumental in providing information leading to the death of the most sought after man in the world.
This is another sensational offering from Stephen Leather that provided a heart pounding read which I found very difficult to put down.
He has the knack of penning the most topical of stories while maintaining an impressive pace and the excellent dialogue adds to the flow of the action.
Although part of a series, it is not absolutely essential to read all the preceding books to be able to get enjoyment from the story; however once you've enjoyed this, you'll probably want to work your way through the back list. I've listed them in order below.
There are a number of familiar characters from Spider's previous escapades including Charlotte Button, Jimmy 'Razor' Sharpe, the Major and of course in the background but only lightly touched on in this story, son Liam and au pair Katya.
Dan is now older - aren't we all? - and while he's still very involved in all the action, I felt I detected a barely perceptible shift - perhaps Stephen Leather is taking him to a slightly different level in future tales? There were many of the topical sections of this book which I found quite thought provoking and I had the impression we were seeing a deeper side to Spider.
Another excellent read from this author - I have never yet been disappointed with any of his books.
Earlier Dan 'Spider' Shepherd books in order:
Hard Landing: The First Spider Shepherd Thriller;
Soft Target: The Second Spider Shepherd Thriller;
Cold Kill (The 3rd Spider Shepherd Thriller) (Dan Shepherd Mysteries);
Hot Blood: The Fourth Spider Shepherd Thriller;
Dead Men (The Fifth Spider Shepherd Thriller);
Live Fire (The 6th Spider Shepherd Thriller) (Dan Shepherd Mystery);
Rough Justice (The 7th Spider Shepherd Thriller);
Fair Game (The 8th Spider Shepherd Thriller).
This story has two main story lines. Spider has to don the persona of an arms dealer while at the same time maintaining the role of John Whitehill whose task is keeping two young lads, Chaudry and Mallik, safe after they were instrumental in providing information leading to the death of the most sought after man in the world.
This is another sensational offering from Stephen Leather that provided a heart pounding read which I found very difficult to put down.
He has the knack of penning the most topical of stories while maintaining an impressive pace and the excellent dialogue adds to the flow of the action.
Although part of a series, it is not absolutely essential to read all the preceding books to be able to get enjoyment from the story; however once you've enjoyed this, you'll probably want to work your way through the back list. I've listed them in order below.
There are a number of familiar characters from Spider's previous escapades including Charlotte Button, Jimmy 'Razor' Sharpe, the Major and of course in the background but only lightly touched on in this story, son Liam and au pair Katya.
Dan is now older - aren't we all? - and while he's still very involved in all the action, I felt I detected a barely perceptible shift - perhaps Stephen Leather is taking him to a slightly different level in future tales? There were many of the topical sections of this book which I found quite thought provoking and I had the impression we were seeing a deeper side to Spider.
Another excellent read from this author - I have never yet been disappointed with any of his books.
Earlier Dan 'Spider' Shepherd books in order:
Hard Landing: The First Spider Shepherd Thriller;
Soft Target: The Second Spider Shepherd Thriller;
Cold Kill (The 3rd Spider Shepherd Thriller) (Dan Shepherd Mysteries);
Hot Blood: The Fourth Spider Shepherd Thriller;
Dead Men (The Fifth Spider Shepherd Thriller);
Live Fire (The 6th Spider Shepherd Thriller) (Dan Shepherd Mystery);
Rough Justice (The 7th Spider Shepherd Thriller);
Fair Game (The 8th Spider Shepherd Thriller).
September 22, 2012
After a team of Navy SEALS killed Bin Laden, members of al-Qaeda found a detailed map of the inside of Bin Laden's compound.
This could only have come from a traitor and finding out who this is and obtaining retribution became the number one priority.
In England we learn more about the source of the information. Two idealistic Pakastanians, Malik and Chaudhry discuss the mission and wonder about what danger they are in. Their handler is M15 agent Dan "Spider" Shepherd, who is a compassionate man and treats them as a father rather than a military leader.
There is an operation under way where al-Quadea will strike in England and cause the loss of many lives. Shepherd knows there is danger about terrorists finding out about the two men but needs to keep them in place until he can find out the details of the operation.
There is a side story of a group of right wing people trying to purchase a large number of heavy weapons. They want to strike against the Muslims and feel that Muslims are hurting England.
Even though the story had flaws, it was certainly entertaining. Also learning more about Malik and Chaudhry gave me good feelings that there were moderate people of the Muslim faith who were working to keep peace and find friendship between people of different religious faiths.
This could only have come from a traitor and finding out who this is and obtaining retribution became the number one priority.
In England we learn more about the source of the information. Two idealistic Pakastanians, Malik and Chaudhry discuss the mission and wonder about what danger they are in. Their handler is M15 agent Dan "Spider" Shepherd, who is a compassionate man and treats them as a father rather than a military leader.
There is an operation under way where al-Quadea will strike in England and cause the loss of many lives. Shepherd knows there is danger about terrorists finding out about the two men but needs to keep them in place until he can find out the details of the operation.
There is a side story of a group of right wing people trying to purchase a large number of heavy weapons. They want to strike against the Muslims and feel that Muslims are hurting England.
Even though the story had flaws, it was certainly entertaining. Also learning more about Malik and Chaudhry gave me good feelings that there were moderate people of the Muslim faith who were working to keep peace and find friendship between people of different religious faiths.
June 21, 2012
What is there not to like about Dan 'Spider' Shepherd? Right enjoyed this, found it hard to put down.
May 23, 2020
Another Spider Shepard thriller. Yeah, they kill Bin Laden in this one, early on, so that's fortunately the main storyline. Haven't checked up on the reason (at least the public reason) the helicopter crashed during the assassination, but this version makes sense. Leather constantly makes fun of the US Special Forces for their incompetence compared to the SAS. I don't have any real world data on that and it doesn't really matter, though the US has had a long string of SF failures. Anyway, think I have one more of these books on hand, then that will be the end of this series for me. I will have read 12 of the 16 books. That's enough. I do have some of the other stand alone books, and I've read eight or nine of those and may read another couple. We'll see.
April 20, 2026
The "Book Swap" Diamond in the Rough
Finding a new author through a book exchange is like a literary blind date; sometimes it’s a dud, and sometimes—as is the case with Stephen Leather—it’s the start of a long-term relationship.
False Friends, the ninth entry in the long-running Dan "Spider" Shepherd series, proves that you don't need to have read the previous eight books to get sucked into the high-stakes world of undercover operations.
For a first-time Leather reader, False Friends is an excellent entry point. It’s fast-paced, lean, and avoids the "filler" often found in modern thrillers.
It manages to be a gritty procedural while maintaining a heart, thanks to Shepherd’s personal stakes.
Finding a new author through a book exchange is like a literary blind date; sometimes it’s a dud, and sometimes—as is the case with Stephen Leather—it’s the start of a long-term relationship.
False Friends, the ninth entry in the long-running Dan "Spider" Shepherd series, proves that you don't need to have read the previous eight books to get sucked into the high-stakes world of undercover operations.
For a first-time Leather reader, False Friends is an excellent entry point. It’s fast-paced, lean, and avoids the "filler" often found in modern thrillers.
It manages to be a gritty procedural while maintaining a heart, thanks to Shepherd’s personal stakes.
December 8, 2021
This was a good continuation on the Spider Shepherd series. I enjoyed that there entirely unrelated stories running alongside each other - it added a sense of realise to Dan's life, although one did seem a little unresolved particularly as an undercover police officer was left dead. It was also interesting to see MI5 and the Police interacting with each other. It was however a shame not to hear about Katra or Liam, the family background is one of the things that makes Dan relatable.
So, a good read and a good development of the series but in some ways it felt a bit like 'filler'. Hopefully the unresolved story is picked up later in the series.
So, a good read and a good development of the series but in some ways it felt a bit like 'filler'. Hopefully the unresolved story is picked up later in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2021
Another action packed winner
Yet again Spider comes to the rescue and serves justice to the terrorists who would gladly kill innocent people,while also taking on gangsters who would also have killed innocent people but unlucky for them Spider was on the case and they were sorted out before they could do anything.
Yet again Spider comes to the rescue and serves justice to the terrorists who would gladly kill innocent people,while also taking on gangsters who would also have killed innocent people but unlucky for them Spider was on the case and they were sorted out before they could do anything.
February 28, 2023
Consistent food reading
I always enjoy the twist and turns with characters who have to live with the consequences of their actions and identify the right side of right and wrong these books by Stephen are always plausable thought provoking and scarily close to possible reality whilst taking the reader to stretch the feard possible and make thrilling and adictable reading 😋
I always enjoy the twist and turns with characters who have to live with the consequences of their actions and identify the right side of right and wrong these books by Stephen are always plausable thought provoking and scarily close to possible reality whilst taking the reader to stretch the feard possible and make thrilling and adictable reading 😋
May 26, 2025
My first Stephen Leather book, but it won't be my last.
I was looking for an action thriller and this book ticked all the boxes; fast-paced adrenaline ride, page-turning plot, realistic characters and sharp dialogue.
Despite being published in 2012, it felt up-to-date and it was great to have a book in this genre being largely set in the UK.
I was looking for an action thriller and this book ticked all the boxes; fast-paced adrenaline ride, page-turning plot, realistic characters and sharp dialogue.
Despite being published in 2012, it felt up-to-date and it was great to have a book in this genre being largely set in the UK.
July 7, 2025
Another brilliant book by Stephen Leather
I am on a bing reading of Stephen Leather Dan Spider Shepherd books. This is his ninth book in the series.
I love his books as they are well written and enriched with some great story plot.
Overall a brilliantly read and highly recommended.
Best wishes Sean
I am on a bing reading of Stephen Leather Dan Spider Shepherd books. This is his ninth book in the series.
I love his books as they are well written and enriched with some great story plot.
Overall a brilliantly read and highly recommended.
Best wishes Sean
February 23, 2026
Great read. There are bits which may annoy you as simply too implausible, or too not-what-really-happens...
But, for me, the good aspects MORE than made up for the times I was thus annoyed.
Great, complex, "new", plot, with LOTS of detail. Many twists and turns.
Some Deep Philosophy along the way.
Vivid, three-dimensional characters and incidents.
But, for me, the good aspects MORE than made up for the times I was thus annoyed.
Great, complex, "new", plot, with LOTS of detail. Many twists and turns.
Some Deep Philosophy along the way.
Vivid, three-dimensional characters and incidents.
September 28, 2017
Brilliant again
Just brilliant read again and again,,and I thought at first how could this author improve his great work in writing these books,, but yet again he never fails to amaze me with his great work and books...
Just brilliant read again and again,,and I thought at first how could this author improve his great work in writing these books,, but yet again he never fails to amaze me with his great work and books...
December 28, 2017
Good enough, but a whole weird Knights Templar side plot that seemed like a token effort to make the book more PC whilst tackling the subject of Islamic terrorists. Side plot was resolved in a clumsy way, and was almost as if the author didn't know what to do with it.
November 12, 2018
Great read. A rare series of books normally set in the UK which holds its own against its US competition. One slight criticism, there wasn't much of slowdown or reflection when one of Spider's colleagues buys the farm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2020
Not as good as some of the other Spider novels. There was next to nothing about Liam and Kattya. which used to generate the empathy. This was more of a stand alone spy novel with Spider as the handler and not the Spider books of earlier.
July 17, 2022
This book was given to me, not the sort of thing I'd normally read and it sat on my shelves for a couple of years before I got round to reading it. I was pleasantly surprised. It rattles along very nicely and mostly avoids the he-man SAS clichés I was expecting.
September 26, 2023
What an awesome book. New author for me, and I'll be looking for more of his books. I loved the character Spider Shepherd who features in other books too. Strong thriller and an al-Qaeda storyline based in London, mostly.
June 18, 2025
3.5 If this were the first book I picked up in this series I wouldn't have finished. This one started out a lot slower than Leather's usual works. I still like the series though but this one just wasn't as strong for me.
July 3, 2017
I enjoyed the story enough to want to read more of this author's books.
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